Reference Platinum 1

About the Reference Platinum 1

The Grado Reference Platinum 1 is a high output moving iron phono cartridge featuring a modified four-piece OTL cantilever technology that reduces tip mass by 10% compared to the Prestige series. It uses ultra-high purity long crystal oxygen-free copper wire coils and a specially designed elliptical diamond stylus mounted on a brass bushing. The cartridge is hand-assembled in a machined Australian Jarrah wood housing, which is harder and denser than previous materials, adding stability. The coil design has been reconfigured to reduce the number of turns, lowering internal resonance and noise floor, and the effective moving mass has been reduced by 17% for quicker and more accurate music reproduction. It offers a frequency response of 10Hz to 60kHz, output voltage around 5mV, channel separation of 40dB at 1kHz, and a recommended tracking force of 1.5 grams. The cartridge weighs 6.5 grams and mounts with a standard 1/2 inch fitting. It is praised for its musicality, tight and authoritative bass, and smooth tracking capabilities, making it competitive with moving-coil cartridges at a fraction of the price.